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businesscasualcowboy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Transphobia, Toxic friendship, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Murder, Sexual assault, Rape, and Homophobia
lorriss's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Transphobia, Violence, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm
Moderate: Homophobia, Bullying, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Rape, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and War
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Cancer, Drug use, Fatphobia, Incest, Religious bigotry, and Suicide
bluebreex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved reading a plot so involved in music, as someone who used to be involved in the world of professional violinists and competitions, it felt so special. The combination of classic music and fantasy/sci-fi elements is not a mix I would expect to work as well as it did.
Honorary shout out to all of the food descriptions in this book being so good! And special shout out to Aubergine, Katrina's violin.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Transphobia, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Rape, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Self harm
gwenisnonbinary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Deadnaming, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Death, Dysphoria, Racism, Transphobia, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, Bullying, and Cursing
Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Self harm, Rape, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Mental illness
Minor: War, Pedophilia, Murder, and Domestic abuse
lauraliz914's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Violence
goodthingsread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Sexual harassment, War, Child abuse, Rape, Murder, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Deadnaming
Minor: Drug use, War, Alcoholism, Self harm, Toxic friendship, and Racial slurs
emzhay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Outing, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Transphobia
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Ableism, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Incest and War
bruisedtigers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This may not be a problem for other people, but the not-Undertale reference as a core value all throughout really distracted me. Once or twice, I wouldn't have really minded, but it was repeated very frequently, and I think that same theme could've been used without deferring to another media. This narrative was strong enough to stand on its own, without relying on a reference.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Self harm, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Outing, Racial slurs, Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, Deadnaming, and Body shaming
augustar14's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Classism, Cultural appropriation, Rape, Cursing, Body shaming, and War
Minor: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Deadnaming, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Misogyny
apollinares's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
There were many things I liked about the book, I'm just disappointed I didn't enjoy it more. Katrina's arc was well executed, albeit cliché at times; as a trans writer, I feel like Aoki can make her trans protagonist as universally relatable as she wants, she has that right (speaking as a trans person myself). Also, many trans people will pour their heart and soul into a hobby as a means of escape, to the point of obsession, and get so good at it that it feels mary-sue-ish - I'm guilty of this with art, and one of my trans roommates is making a phenomenal video game right now. I bring this up because cis friends who have read this book see Katrina's violin playing skills as "overpowered", for lack of a better term, and I completely disagree, trans people are just that cool.
Lan and Shizuka's relationship was everything I loved in a meet cute - two older wlw (When do you see that??? I love that!!! They're giving owl house Eda levels of pining) struggling to flirt and falling flat on their faces. And the misunderstandings! Ugh, when Shizuka
So, what didn't I like? I've already mentioned the story's treatment of Lan - her voice and inner world just feels much emptier than that of Katrina or Shizuka, and she deserved more as a tritagonist. Also, regarding Marcus:
Some of the more cringe-worthy moments like
All in all, a fun read with excellent representation that unfortunately fell short in many places. My library doesn't stock the Wayfarers series, so I continue in my fruitless search for good queer sci-fi that doesn't "masquerade as sci-fi" through a contrived title and cover.
Graphic: Sexual content and Transphobia
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Outing, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Body shaming
Minor: Misogyny, Deportation, Lesbophobia, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Violence, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Deadnaming, Physical abuse, Mental illness, War, and Xenophobia